Those Who Dwell Beyond the Veil(Invite)

[Cedric Dorn]

Soliael stood quietly on the observation deck of his HARC-1 starship. He quietly watched the stars streak by as the ship traveled through hyperspace. He breathed in calmly, in and out in a rhythmic motion. Aside from himself the observation deck was entirely empty, he had ordered it to be so. What they were about to do was beyond dangerous. They were about to play with a people that were arguably one of the strongest in the entire galaxy.

The Aing-Tii, the warrior monks of the force. They were strong in the force, and their starships were destructive enough to take out entire Star Destroyers. Yet here Soliael was with a handful of crew members, two starships, and a cargo hold full of slaves. He was playing a dangerous game, but the rewards could be oh so sweet. In one fell swoop Soliael could gain control of another world, and an entire people. If he could convert the Aing-Tii to Moross, if he could convince them that he was one of the ones from beyond the veil, then he would take a great step.

He smiled slightly as his thoughts took him to a happy place, knowing that he could do this. He filled with pride slightly as he thought of all he had already achieved. He knew he could do this, he would spread Moross to the Aing-Tii.

Soliael would take the warrior monks, and then the galaxy.
@[member="Teagan Jarhn"]

 

[Teagan Jarhn]

Dressed in the simple armor Sol had provided her, she stepped onto the bridge of his ship. He had cleared it and none were to disturb him, but she was the only person upon the vessel that escaped this ruling. She was never far from his side and she was well aware of what the crew thought of her, but it was better than being a simple waitress. She was his companion in every sense of the word, she was his lover, his friend, and she was learning to be his protector. The life of adventure she had always dreamed of was nothing like what she was now living; it was so much more.

Stepping up beside Sol she reached out and ran her hand lightly down the length of his arm from his elbow to his wrist, pulling her hand away before she touched his hand. It was a curious thing, the feelings she felt for the Sith Lord beside her. He was a monster in the eyes of many and yet to her, he was simply a man. Perhaps that is why he kept her around. She was a simple girl from Tatooine, with big dreams and an even bigger heart. Was it possible that she would never lose that quality? She hoped so.

"Sol..."

 

[Cedric Dorn]

As Teagan entered the observation Deck Soliael simply said nothing. He could sense her coming of course, to him she was like a beacon. Perhaps it was because of how close the two had become, or perhaps it was something else. Quite honestly the Sith did not know, he just liked it. He smiled slightly as she approached him, and as she said his name he turned to the side to face her.

This would be hard on her, the Aing-Tii by all points were innocents. They cared not for war or evil, but the exact opposite. They were a force of good in the galaxy and this would corrupt them. Of course Soliael didn't plan on killing any of them, rather he wanted to convert them. The process however would be difficult, perhaps even deadly. Soliael didn't know how Teagan would take the death of such innocents though quite honestly he was rather curious about it.

“Teagan.” He said the name simply and in greeting, a smile on his face as he turned.

Just as he greeted his friend the Ship dropped out of hyperspace with a sudden slow and steady lurch. The Stars returned to normal, and the two ships fell to a normal pace. They had arrived.

 

[Teagan Jarhn]

She looked up at him, returning his smile, but her gaze was easily drawn away as they dropped out of hyperspace. She would never grow tired of staring at the stars. With a smile still upon her lips she moved closer to the large viewport before them, humming some soft melody at random. After a moment she looked over her shoulder at him, her soft brown eyes regarding him with clear fondness.

"What now?"

 

[Cedric Dorn]

Soliael looked down at Teagan, the smile on his face quickly fading away as the words he was about to say to her sunk in. He knew she wouldn't like it, she knew she didn't enjoy when innocents got hurt or anything along those line, and the Aing-Tii were nothing if not innocent. He frowned slightly, and then began to speak.

“You won't like what I'm going to have to do.” Soliael said the words as though he had absolutely no choice in what was about to happen. Of course he did have a choice, he just wanted to go with the more evil option. It was all in the pursuit of knowledge, it was so Moross could grow, and Soliael could grow with it. This was simple to him, he needed this to happen and so he would make it happen. Still he was well aware that Teagan would not appreciate that.

She was a simple farm girl from Tattooine, a waitress that was slowly but surely becoming a warrior. That however did not mean she had lost her morals, he knew this and so he had to...guide her. The correct way.

As The two of them talked the ships began to move into position.

 

[Teagan Jarhn]

As the ships moved into position Teagan was nothing but frowns. Soliael was doing something she was completely against. Practically glaring at the man she had grown so close to in such a short amount of time she was on the verge of storming out. "Soliael...you can't be serious..." Her voice had a pleading tone to it as her soft brown eyes held his orange gaze with a firmness rarely seen from her. "What if they don't yield? Will that be the end of them?!"

 

[Cedric Dorn]

“They won't have a choice.” His words were cryptic, but again they were true. All Soliael needed was one of the Aing-Tii to come aboard, just one. From there he would need to simply capture it and then the rest would be easy. His grandmother had not taught him much about the fore and how it worked, but he had watched both Silencia and Quietus enough that he knew what he was doing. Aing-Tii were said to be beacons of light, well today Soliael intended to corrupt that beacon.

He turned to Teagan, a confident smile on his face. “Do you trust me?”

It was a simple question, but it held so much weight.

 

[Ereza]

Space was not Amorella's favorite place to be, least of all in a ship bound for potential war and destruction. The woman was nervous, that much was made entirely apparent to anyone whom bothered give her more than a simple glance. Held steadfast in her seat, fingers clutching the binding of the Book of the Gods, Amorella chose to pass the time on board by reading the passages within. This helped with two things: space sickness and her rapidly growing list of responsibilities within the God's inner circle.

"Priestess Mae," a servant arrived, bowing deeply before her, "we've dropped from hyperspace."

Amorella looked up, blue eyes darting quickly to the servant from beneath the hood of her new robes, "Thank you. Would you take me to the bridge so that I may speak with His Holiness Neth?"

"I am sorry, Priestess, but he has ordered the bridge clear. None may enter unless The Divine One wills it."

A frown crossed her face as she watched the servant walk off. She had hoped to speak with her Nephew about the events soon to unfold and what her part in it, if any, would be. She sighed and looked back down to the book in her lap, laid open somewhere within the chapter of Ithari the Bloody, a living God and one she had yet to meet.

@[member="Soliael Devin Talith"]
@[member="Jacen Cavill"]

 

[Teagan Jarhn]

Her chest tightened and she felt as though she had been struck; his question carried so much weight. Blushing bit her bottom lip, fidgeting beneath his gaze. She desperately wished to look away, but she understood what it would mean if she did. Instead she opted for another approach as she suddenly closed the distance between them. She placed a chaste kiss upon his lips before pulling back, smiling shyly as she had when first they had met.

"More than I likely should...to be honest."

With a defeated sigh she bowed her head, slowly meeting his gaze as she raised her head. She was not fond of any of the number of ideas concerning his plan running through her mind, but she did trust him. Whatever his will was, she trusted it to be the best option. After a moment she broke their gaze and turned her soft gaze toward what lay before them, her gaze slowly taking in the site of the alien ships. She dearly hoped they would bend to Soliael's will, she wasn't sure she was ready to see death so up close.

 

[Cedric Dorn]

Soliael smiled at her, and her reaction to his question. He had already known the answer of course. Above all Soliael was manipulative. He was controlling and he was evil. This was evident when one saw the truth behind Moross. He was a man masquerading as a god before Billions of people, he was probably one of the greatest liars in the galaxy because of that very reason, and more than that, he embraced it.

He enjoyed the worship, he enjoyed the praise, the faith that his followers had in him. He loved every moment of it. He was manipulating them, just as he was manipulating Teagan. It was a sad fact, but it was one that was also true. Soliael frowned for just a split second, as if he regretted his last thought but then immediately smiled placing a gentle hand on her face. “Then trust I will do the right thing.”

As soon as he spoke there was a knock on the door of the observation deck. He turned about and waved to the doors which almost immediately split open. A servant stood there and spoke.

“Priestess Mae wishes to speak with you Lord Neth.”

Soliael looked at the servant and simply replied with a nod. His aunt had come along on this little journey for reasons Soliael wasn't entirely sure about. She had no need to come, though perhaps it interested her to see what he was about to do. The Servant turned around and wandered off to fetch Soliael's Aunt.

At the same time the ship began to move forward with the other ship strafing it with Turbolasers. The trap was set, and now they would wait for the Aing-Tii to come.
@[member="Amorella Mae"]

 

[Ereza]

After a short time the doors to the bridge hissed open again, permitting the young Priestess and no other.

"Thank you, Wise One, for seeing me," she said after a quick glance to the other woman present. Amore was not familiar with @[member="Teagan Jarhn"] and so she suspected it was smart to maintain propriety. Rising from a graceful bow, she gently folded her arms at her front, tucking her hands within the open sleeves of her robe and approached the God.

"Perhaps my feet carry me beyond helpful curiosity in being here but I have never been one to sit by idly while others craft the future. If I may be so bold to ask, how can a Priestess of Inari be of help to Her Divine One's brother?"

 

[Cedric Dorn]

As he watched Amorella enter the observation deck he said nothing to Teagan, just giving her a slight shake of his head. It was a signal for her not to say anything to his aunt. Teagan was already well aware of who Amorella was, she was Soliaels personal bodyguard so of course she was well aware of all who surrounded him. The same could not be said for the reverse, and even though Soliael was supposed to be above these things he couldn't help but derive a few minutes of amusement from how Amorella spoke to him.

He knew she was being helpful, playing her role as a priestess of Moross superbly well, but in this current situation Soliael found it incredibly amusing. His smirk grew wider and wider, until finally he burst out laughing just as Amorella finished speaking. After a few seconds of laughter Soliael looked at his aunt.

“Amore, this is Teagan. She is well aware of my less than...Divine Origins.” Soliael spoke freely, here on his ship he was always open to doing so. Of course Soliael loved his aunt for staying in character when strangers were about, it was incredibly clever. However when one had to be a god for nearly twenty four hours a day seven days a week one relished the chance of not being one.

Speaking normally even for a few seconds was something he greatly enjoyed, and if he didn't have to keep up the facade with both Amore and Teagan, then he would take the opportunity.

After a few seconds of wry amusement splayed across his face Soliael grew serious. Amorella didn't know either why they were here, only Soliael was truly privy to that. As turbolaser bolts streaked over their Ship Soliael quickly explained. “This section of space is home to a set of aliens known as the Aing-Tii. They are mostly unknown, though in our family records you would find that as a species they are known for they knowledge of a distinct force technique.”

He didn't bother mentioning what that technique was.

“The Aing-Tii worship a set of gods known as 'Those Who Dwell Beyond the Veil'. We are here to convince them I am one of those gods.” The ship shook slightly as it was struck by a wayward turbo laser bolt. Their rescuers would be here soon.

 

[Ereza]

The Priestess once again faltered in the presence of her Great-Nephew. With a marked frown she watched him degrade into a fit of laughter just as he had on the day they first met. Instances between the two were curiously similar in nature, only this time she knew it was by no fault of her own. Amore knew her duty to help his cause, so it was with a certain amount of confusion that he laughed it off.

He hates my robes ... the thought crossed her mind and immediately her expression wilted. She glanced down at her sleeves and the beautifully hand-crafted gold trim beset by starbursts. She thought they were quite lovely, and so much lighter than the robes of the Kuati Royal. She simply hated the thought of parting with them, especially after commissioning the seamstress on Exocron to make several more of varying colors and styles.

“Amore, this is Teagan. She is well aware of my less than...Divine Origins.”
"Well, I thought they were quite tasteful." She looked up, blinking, and immediately caught the smirk on Soliael's face.

"Oh..." her frown persisted as she glanced between her Nephew and the woman, "oh!"

"I'm so sorry, I had no idea. Don't mind me, just a Priestess," now it was her turn to smirk, eyes drifting after Soliael as he motioned to the viewport before them. Amore leaned to mouth the words 'nice to meet you' to Teagan with a flashpan smile before directing her attention to Sol one final time.

"The Aing-Tii?" she asked, racking her memory for any information she might've come across, only to fall terribly short. Nothing, she knew nothing of them, which came as no surprise considering most of the galaxy also knew nothing of them as well. Her frown returned as the ship rumbled from impact, "Very well ... does this occur before or after the ship is destroyed?"

 

[Darron Wraith]

@[member="Amorella Mae"] @[member="Soliael Devin Talith"] @[member="Teagan Jarhn"]

The doors hissed open, and Ithari calmly strode in with Mar walking behind in. The over two meter tall droid was completely covered in black robes, and it was only a few inches taller than the man it "protected." In Mar's hands was a plain, reflective helm that perfectly matched the dark suit of armor that as slightly hidden by the flowing black robes the man wore. Muscles in his jaw remained tense as the ship they were in kept being bombarded, this was the part of the ruse he didn't like. Why must we play fodder to be rescued by these pions when we can be conquerors? A quick exhale escaped his nostrils as he surveyed those on the Observation Deck, displeasure written all over his sharp features.

"We might not make it to the world of the Aing-Tii at this rate, Neth!" More frustration crossed his face as his armored steps echoed, the droid staying near the door. An armored hand pointed out the window, and he was no longer walking like a man, the monster in him was showing. The heavy steps he took made him look like an animal about to charge, but he felt trapped and cornered. On the field of battle he was much more sure of himself, or in the Dzu'ari, here he was helpless to the void unless he placed his visor on. Jacen had far too many plans and goals to accomplish, and dying at the hands of a simple trick for Soliael wasn't his idea. Moross was a beautiful lie, but a demonstration of their power would be better than playing pitiful fools in need of aide.

Coming to head a few feet away from all parties, he kept his (for the moment) blue eyes locked on his fellow "God." Who the other two were of little consequence at the moment, Jacen was angry enough to show why he had been considered to play the part of Ithari The Bloody at this moment. "When will this ruse end, or do I need to get on a fighter and go over there myself and kill them all. I won't tolerate this much longer."

Rage was beginning to show, and the darkside was coming to him, but he'd hold fast until proven to be following fools.

 

[Cedric Dorn]

Soliael looked from his bodyguard to his aunt and then to the door. He frowned slightly as his fellow false god wandered into the room. The man was impetuous and impatient, something that Soliael found fairly contemptible. The upside of course was that the man was strong, overtly so. He was the hammer to Soliaels anvil, the two of them worked differently but well together. All he had to do was make the man wait.

“Not long now.” Soliael said quietly to all three people in the room. Another streak of turbolaser flashed across the viewscreen before them, and then suddenly almost exactly as Soliael finished speaking a flash of light appeared before them.

A ship appeared out of nothing, it was oddly shaped and almost bulbous in design. Some would call it ugly, and others would call it beautiful The ship however was strange, there was no doubt about that. Almost in an instant the Aing-Tii ship began to open fire. The strange vessel blasted The Freyas attackers, obliterating the other ship in almost an instant. Its shields were completely obliterated and its hull torn apart in seconds. Soliaels eyes opened wide in shock as he saw the damage that the Aing-Tii did to his false attackers, grieving the loss of life at the same time.

“Contact them. Ask for help. Tell them our hyperdrive was damaged in the attack.” It wasn't clear which one of the three other people he was speaking to, though his voice was steady and calm, if a bit shocked. “Ithari.”

He addressed his fellow God, knowing that the man did not need to follow his orders but hoping he would do so. “We need them alive."
@[member="Darth Ithari"] @[member="Amorella Mae"] @[member="Teagan Jarhn"]

 

[Teagan Jarhn]

As the ship rumbled, she stood quietly by Soliael's side, playing her part perfectly. Acting had never been something she thought herself overly good at, but Soliael seemed to think she did a splendid job. She watched the Priestess enter, her soft brown eyes studying the other woman intently as she held up the facade that she was simply a bodyguard to a God. However, Soliael's laughter and explanation for her presence allowed her to slip her metaphorical mask off as she returned to woman's smile.

"Back at ya."

Her words were soft and intended for Amore's ears only, though it was likely that Soliael had heard her as well. As the ship continued to groan all around them she returned to playing her part of dutiful bodyguard, her soft gaze moving from Soliael to Amore and back again as they talked. The atmosphere between the three was relaxed, despite the fact that the ship was being 'attacked', however, the calm between them didn't last for long as another joined their party. While Teagan was not connected to the Force in any fashion she could easily feel the raw power radiating off the man that entered; his form was imposing and if it weren't for Soliael she would have acted like a frightened child.

Instead her loyalty and love Soliael made her strong, giving her the will to remain at his side as Soliael's 'Godly' brother joined them. Once more she was forced to play the role of ignorant bodyguard as she was not aware of what Soliael had told the man. Her soft gaze hardened and she stood firmly at Soliael's side. The air on the deck seemed to tense with Ithari's arrival, but everyone's attention was quickly grabbed by the arrival of the ones they had been seeking from the very start. Before Soliael could even finish speaking she had left his side, her fingers flying over the ships communication controls as she sent a distress signal to the Aing-Tii.

@[member="Soliael Devin Talith"] @[member="Darth Ithari"] @[member="Amorella Mae"]

 

[Darron Wraith]

@[member="Soliael Devin Talith"] @[member="Teagan Jarhn"] @[member="Amorella Mae"]

Whatever response that was about to form, whatever depths to his rage he was about to access, those thoughts melted away. The accusational finger he had been pointing at his fellow "God" soon fell with a soft clang against the light armor he wore. Sharp features cast shadows across his bone structure as he turned to regard the vessel as it basically appeared out of nothing and quickly set upon their "attackers." In the darkness, Jacen could feel the intent behind the weapons firing, and the pain and betrayal emanating from the vessel that had been firing upon them moments before. Understanding washed over him in those few seconds, and Ithari couldn't help but appreciate how well Neth had set that up. The entire attack had been a ruse, and he had played along like a fool. Granted, a fool who could have ripped their ship apart had his temper gotten away from him anymore than it had. Guess I owe him an apology, he mused to himself as he stood to his normal posture and allowed himself to cool down.

There would be no need for his rage...just yet.

"Alive then, that can be done." Blue eyes searched around those in attendance, and he felt exposed with his face out in the open. On this side of the galaxy, it didn't matter that he had been there to help Velok destroy a star system. What mattered was that Jacen Cavill, Darth Krytpus were now void names that he couldn't call himself ever again. Ithari was one that could stick, and he'd assume his Darth name was the same as his god name. It was most surely arrogant of him, but they didn't call him a god just for him to be a fool and die. "We will play our parts I am assuming? Shall I cover my face so that I am seen as nothing more than a warrior? Or would you prefer me to actually look a tad bit human...Neth?"

Being two meters tall and being built like he was made him had to hide in the best of circumstances, putting him in his armor made him stick out even more. Ithari kept his eyes glued to the vessel, and his right hand rested on the lightsaber hilt that was hanging off his belt. Neth could do all the talking for them right now, if bloodshed would be needed then Ithari could show himself.

 

[Ereza]

To say the display before her of power and might by both the God Ithari and the Aing-Tii's ship now drifting serenely through the blackness of space was bone-chilling might not quite do it all justice. Amorella felt her joints freeze in place, afraid that a simple movement might rip open the fabric of reality that seemed terribly off-kilter. Unfortunately for her she hadn't time to come to grips with the throes of fear - she was pulled quite gracelessly from it by the booming voice of Ithari.

The woman snapped to attention, vibrant blue eyes turning to the face of the God of Blood to take in his features with a bit more care. He was far too handsome to be what Soliael claimed he was or the unnerving sense of power radiating from his figure - then again, Amore had no experience in dealing with Darksiders. This territory was uncharted for her.

Diplomacy, however, was not.

"If I may," she spoke up, her voice faint at first. Amore gently cleared her throat and allowed her own fruitful experience in the way of reaping followers on Kuat bring strength to her words, "taming your appearance will do no good to impress anything on a race that is capable of that," a delicate hand lifted to point at the carnage left in the wake of the Aing-Tii ship and it's curiously impressive fire-power.

@[member="Soliael Devin Talith"] @[member="Darth Ithari"] @[member="Teagan Jarhn"]

 

[Cedric Dorn]

Soliael completely ignored the words of his fellow God, Aunt, and Bodyguard. He couldn't hear them over the sound of the approaching presence within the force. The Ship of the Aing-Tii radiated with the force, not of the lightside, or the darkside, but something in between. He couldn't comprehend it at first, he had never felt anything so...neutral.

The Frown on his face turned into a scowl as the aura came closer and closer, he stared at the ship, a black fleck floating across his left eye as he did so. The God did not notice it, though it had been there. Seconds later he felt something bend and shift, and then the radio began to emit a loud crackling noise. For a few seconds the transceiver received nothing but static, then an alien noise came from within the gargling noise. It would sound completely unidentifiable to all those on the bridge, then it switched and became another sound. This one was more identifiable, it was Huttese the language of most slavers. Then it switched again, Duros.

This patter continued until finally the voice spoke in galactic Basic.

“Do not fear. We have come to your aid.”

It was a message meant for the slaves of this ship, those who had almost been captured and oppressed by the “Slavers”. Soliael said absolutely nothing in response, still in quite a bit of shock by the waves he felt within the force. Suddenly a massively loud alert went off all around the ship, bright red lights began to blink with high intensity and speed.

It was a boarding alarm, the Aing-Tii had come. They needed no transport ships, no carriers to bring them over. They had the force. Finally after what seemed like an eon Soliael waved his hand, the alarm silenced itself and the God of Knowledge spoke.

“Subdue them.” It was two words, a simple command. Again it was unsure who he was talking to, but the icy edge to his voice would lead them to suspect that he did not care.

Without further words the God walked from the observation deck.
@[member="Amorella Mae"] @[member="Darth Ithari"] @[member="Teagan Jarhn"]

 

[Darron Wraith]

@[member="Soliael Devin Talith"] @[member="Amorella Mae"]

Blue eyes fell on the woman who spoke with the faint voice, a small voice stirred in his mind. Though it was only echoing off the furthest reaches of the man he had been before the dark-side had found him. Ithari nodded at her suggestion before the aura around the ship changed. They were no longer alone, and the Aing-Tii had closed the distance. The klaxons had sounded, and the speakers over the ship had cycled through languages as the aliens went about their process of "aiding" those in need. Foolish creatures, he thought to himself. How they had become the Masters of such a lost art of the Force was beyond him, but it was one he had no interest in learning. Neth himself had said the same, this was merely about spreading Moross and hoping to gain their servitude for the coming crusade.

They would either bend to the will of the "Gods," or be slaughtered.

Well, that was a stretch, and the Sith Master knew that. Before the archives had been stolen by Velok, he himself had perused over what little knowledge there was to know about those beyond the veil. They knew many mysteries of the Force that simpletons like himself could never even Master, much less fathom. This was going to be risky, and fighting beings who could teleport wouldn't be easy, even less easy when he couldn't kill them. He never said anything about not hurting them, Ithari noted as Neth left the room without a word to begin handling the situation. A small smile crossed the powerful man's face, and he could feel through the Force where his fellow omnipotent being was heading. Jacen would simply take the other way, but first he had to do something.

One didn't go to battle without their power, and Jacen Cavill wasn't fighting this fight.

"Mar, stay here and guard these two will you?" The droid nodded in acknowledgement as it came to stand near the two women while pulling it's BTI-CC13 from behind it's back while still holding Jacen's helmet. Little attention was paid to this as he made himself the center of the universe and tapped into all of his dark power while fully immersing himself in the power that allowed him to do everything that he could. Cavill kept his eyes closed tight for a moment before opening them, revealing yellow and red orbs that hinted at the rage deep inside him. Ithari was in his place, and he was ready to boil over with rage, and the need for combat was taking him over. With a tug of the Force, his helmet was in his hands, and he snapped it over his face. His eyes still showed through the clear, retractable lenses, and he pulled his hood over the onyx colored piece of armor.

"I'll return shortly."

Then Ithari went to do what he did best: fight.